{"id":2203081,"date":"2023-12-11T16:57:30","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T07:57:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2203081"},"modified":"2023-12-12T17:59:18","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T08:59:18","slug":"south-koreas-disabled-left-behind-in-urban-tech-boom-with-public-transport-woes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/12\/south-koreas-disabled-left-behind-in-urban-tech-boom-with-public-transport-woes\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s disabled left behind in urban tech boom with public transport woes"},"content":{"rendered":"
South Korea\u2019s impressive advancements in public transportation infrastructure mask a critical issue: the inadequate inclusion of disabled individuals in public life. In cities like Seoul, where advanced public transportation and automated services are the norm, this oversight starkly contrasts the nation\u2019s reputation for modernity and accessibility.<\/span><\/p>\n For the disabled community in South Korea, daily life presents a series of challenges, particularly in the realm of public transportation. Lee Sang-cheol, 69, who has been using an electric wheelchair for two decades after losing his legs, frequently faces difficulties in navigating a public transport system that seems to disregard the needs of people like him.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn subway carriages, I often find the designated space for wheelchairs occupied by abled people leaning on the walls, forcing me to park my wheelchair in the middle of the carriage among other passengers,\u201d Lee told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Even simple tasks like using an elevator at a station can become a struggle, as he contends with a lack of basic courtesy from others.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI felt disappointed before, but it\u2019s normal to me now. I guess it\u2019s my way of surviving.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Lee\u2019s experiences are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of neglect. Recent <\/span>studies<\/span><\/a> have revealed that wheelchair users who travel often are more likely to experience depression, challenging the assumption that greater mobility equates to a higher quality of life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Simply improving accessibility is insufficient, the study argued, without also addressing social discrimination and prejudices that people with disabilities encounter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n INVISIBLE IN PUBLIC\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Kim Pil-soon, an activist with Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD), South Korea\u2019s leading advocacy group for individuals with disabilities, points out a key issue in changing societal perceptions: visibility.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe more frequently people with disabilities are seen in public spaces, the more likely attitudes will change. However, the current infrastructure significantly limits their mobility and presence in public areas,\u201d Kim explained.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite making up 5% of South Korea\u2019s population, as per <\/span>2023 data<\/span><\/a> from the Korea Disabled People\u2019s Development Institute, the disabled community remains largely absent from social spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t even see that 5% at workplace or schools, which means that many disabled people are stuck at home and have not been integrated into society,\u201d Kim said.<\/span><\/p>\n Transportation remains a significant barrier. A <\/span>report<\/span><\/a> from October by the Korea Differently Abled Federation indicates that only about 23% of buses nationwide are equipped with accessible lower entrance doors, except for Seoul, where the figure is higher at 63%. In terms of intercity transportation, just five buses are known to be disability-friendly.<\/span><\/p>\n Police officers attempt to prevent Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination members from boarding a subway car, Jan. 2, 2023 | Image: Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination via Facebook<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n The experiences of those with disabilities paint a stark picture of these challenges. Several individuals reported their reluctance to use buses to <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> due to past experiences with uncooperative or untrained drivers and the emotional toll of facing indifference or complaints from other passengers.<\/span><\/p>\n This reluctance is not unfounded, as some recount instances where bus drivers have either failed to notice them or struggled with operating the accessibility equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n While subways in major cities like Seoul, with elevators installed at <\/span>95% of the stations<\/span><\/a>, offer a better alternative, the reality is more complex. Navigating subway stations, especially when transferring lines, presents its own set of challenges. The design of these spaces often fails to minimize the distance and effort required for individuals with disabilities to move around.<\/span><\/p>\n A <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> by Science On, a research group in South Korea, has revealed that when transferring between subway lines, passengers with disabilities take approximately 28 times longer and travel 18 times further than non-disabled passengers.<\/span><\/p>\n Consequently, many in the disabled community rely on 24-hour call taxi services. However, these services are much more expensive than other forms of public transport. Further, they come with other challenges, including long wait times ranging from 30 minutes to two hours, interviewees told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n CHALLENGES BEYOND DISABILITY<\/b><\/p>\n The issue of limited access to South Korea\u2019s public spaces extends beyond the disabled community. A growing number of young parents, particularly mothers, are facing similar difficulties. Many have become increasingly reliant on private vehicles as public transportation proves less accommodating for their needs.<\/span><\/p>\n Cho Yoon-mi, a mother from Seoul, explained to <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> her daily struggles with public transport while managing a two-year-old and a pushchair.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGetting the buggy on and off the bus, often far from the curb, or finding space in crowded areas designated for priority seating, is a constant challenge,\u201d she said. \u201cMost people are indifferent and don\u2019t bother to help, adding to the stress of the journey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Cho\u2019s experience is compounded by her decision to avoid driving due to past trauma, further limiting her mobility options.<\/span><\/p>\n Her encounters with the occasional frustration of taxi drivers, disgruntled by the time it takes to fold up a pushchair, highlight a broader issue of societal indifference toward those needing extra assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSomehow, I find it easier when I face multiple people\u2019s indifference than when I have to confront a single person\u2019s frustration,\u201d Cho told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>, explaining her choice to continue taking public transportation despite the challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n However, not all experiences are uniformly negative. Park Yeong-ho, a 75-year-old stroke survivor, offers a contrasting perspective. Having moved from Manchester, England, to Gyeonggi Province, Park appreciates the accessibility features like lifts and ramps in subway stations and buildings.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou could feel every bump on the street back where I was [in Manchester],\u201d Park, who uses an electric scooter, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>. \u201cI have nothing to complain about as everything is all very smoothly laid out here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n However, Park also encounters lingering social biases similar to those he witnessed decades ago in Britain. He recalls one of his friends warning him that his active presence in public could be perceived as a \u201cnuisance,\u201d a sentiment he finds reflective of a lag in societal attitudes compared to physical infrastructure development.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhile the environment has adapted to accommodate physical needs, public perception is still catching up,\u201d he asserted. Park remains optimistic, however, believing that societal attitudes will eventually shift as older, more rigid mindsets give way to progressive thinking.<\/span><\/p>\n Buses in Seoul, Nov. 22, 2022 | Image: Seoul City Government via Instagram<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n CULTURAL CONTEXT AND POLICY CHALLENGES<\/b><\/p>\n Lee Byoung-hoon, an emeritus professor of sociology at Chung-Ang University, explained to <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i> a cultural aspect shaping South Koreans\u2019 societal attitudes toward accessibility.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDue to South Korean society having prioritized economic development and efficiency for decades, Koreans have developed a strong \u2018every man for himself\u2019 type of mindset,\u201d Lee told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>. \u201cAnd this mindset has left little room in people\u2019s hearts for empathy toward others, especially if they feel that doing so would inconvenience them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Lee has also observed a worrying trend: as economic uncertainties grow, tolerance toward minority groups, including those with disabilities, is diminishing, complicating the push for more inclusive policies.<\/span><\/p>\n Since 2021, SADD has taken an assertive stance. Its strategy involves occupying subway stations during peak hours, a method that has sparked public backlash and drawn sharp criticism from Seoul\u2019s conservative government.<\/span><\/p>\n Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon labeled SADD\u2019s demonstrations as \u201csocial terrorism,\u201d and Seoul Metro, the operator of Seoul subway lines number one through eight, <\/span>announced measures<\/span><\/a> in late November to ban all of SADD\u2019s subway protests, marking a significant escalation in the government\u2019s response to disability rights activism.<\/span><\/p>\n A day after Seoul Metro\u2019s announcement, the police took Park Kyoung-seok, SADD\u2019s leader, into custody on charges of<\/span> obstructing business and violating the Railroad Safety Act<\/span><\/a> when the group staged another protest.<\/span><\/p>\n The group stated on Dec. 1 that its members would temporarily halt their subway protests until the completion of parliamentary budget deliberations regarding the proposed increase in funding for special transportation services for people with disabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n However, SADD remains steadfast in its campaign, advocating for adherence to legal standards in public transport for people with disabilities and challenging recent budgetary reductions.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe still encounter hostility. Some people swear at us as they pass us by during our protests. But we\u2019ve also seen a change in public attitudes. Some commuters have expressed understanding about the disruptions we cause,\u201d SADD activist Kim told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe feel compelled to persist with our protests. Unless we make our voices heard, it seems we\u2019ll remain invisible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Edited by John Lee<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n